Ventilation-controlling means for chicken brooders



May 20, 1930. R. w. MANEVAL I v ,7 9, 15

VENTILATION CONTROLLING MEANS FOR CHICKEN BROODERS Filed Dec. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEY.

May 20, 1930. R. w. MANEVAL 1,759,515

VENTILATION CONTROLLING MEANS FOR CHICKEN BROODERS Filed Dec. 15 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill 7 I N VEN TOR.

I F MA/[ANEVAL BY A A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 20, 193% UNir STATES PATENT orrics REX W. MANEVAL, OF FRANKFORT, KANSAS VENTILATION-CONTROLLING MEANS FOR CHICKEN BROODEBS Application filed D cember'fi, 1927. SeriaI No. 240,232.

a plurality of brooders or units of brooders.

'A still further object of my invention is to provide a chicken brooder having a single air shaft intermediately positioned to a plurality of compartments. I

A still further obj ect of my invention is to provide a moisture pan,by which means the compartments are supplied with moisture and heat simultaneously. 1

These and other objects will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a series of brooders partly in section for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one unit and a fragmentary portion of an adjacent unit, parts re- 3 moved for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the steam pipes, moisture pan, thermostat, and the direction'of the circulation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal view through the duct between the units.-

In the following description like characters will apply to like parts throughout the differswing of the door, a spring 13 is attached to the ceiling 4: and to the top of the door above the hinge 14. Longitudinally positioned in a ent views. 7

The mechanism herein disclosed consists of an air shaft 1 positioned between a pair of brooders 2, the said brooders comprising a plurality of compartments placed above each other and designated as A, B, C, D, and E; other compartments may be added. The brooders may be of any standard make, but .modified so that my ventilating system may be installed. The said system consists of an enclosed air shaft 1 positioned transversely of a pair of brooders 2, one being on each side as shown in Figs 1 and 2; the ends of the brood- V ersadjacent the shaft are closed by hingedly connected doors 3; the said doors are off-solid construction, so that when closed the heat will not pass therethrough, and are hinged to a ceiling 4 which-is spaced from a wire screen floor 5 the said floor having positioned thereunder a removable pan 6 as a catchall and cleaning means for their respective compartments. A similar screening 5 will extend over the door openings toprevent the chicks from falling into the shaft, the saidscreen being on the inside of the doors and to cover the entire area thereof. 7

- Positioned rearwardly of the -'ceil ing-tis a fabric partition member 7 extending downward so that the lower edge thereof is well spaced from the said ceiling, but leaving sufficient room for smallchicks to pass between the lower edge and the floor ofits respective compartment, the fabric partition functioning as a baflie and causing the heat entering the doors as indicated bythe arrows in Figs. 1 and 3 to pass upward and outward through the rearportion of the compartment; and-he- .ing so arranged, the fabric partition also forms a pocket in which the thermostat 8 is positioned. The said thermostat isaxially positioned with the rods 9 and 9', the ends of whichare connected to the sides of the thermostat. Therodi9" is adjustably connected to the lower end of an arm 7' through theQmedium of a nut 10 and a wing nut 11threadedly engagingthereon, the opposite end of shaft I 9 pivotally engaging with the dooras zit-:12, whereby the said door is opened and closed by the thermostat.

As a means-to. counterbalance the outward steam from a plant arranged therefor, but

not shown in the drawings.

-Above the coils and in close proximity thereto is a pan 17 in which is placed a quan-' tity of water which is gradually evaporated by the heating coils and circulated through the different compartmentsfor the chickens.

-Asa supporting means for the coils are bars l8 extending to and connecting with the walls 18, the said Walls beingthe carrying means for the intermediate portion of the brooders. It will be understood that an opening will be arranged beneath each wall as shown at 19, the said opening extending approximately'the full width of the doors in each compartment through which the fresh.

. air will pass into the shaft. The pan is sup- Tao ported on brackets 20 having their hearings on the said bars '18, as shown in Figs; 1 and 3. That portion ofthe compartments adjacent the shaft 1 is enclosed solidly. That is to say,

the doors 21 may be paneled with wired glass or other transparent substance.

The partitionbetween the said compartmentsas at 22 is likewise solid, by which means a heating chamber is formed, the heat therefrom dispensing through the rear portion Which is enclosed at the sides and rear end with screen wire. The top of each compartment is sealed by a removable pan 23 'slidably engaging guides similarto those shown at 6 in Fig; 3. It will be understood that my invention does not claim broadly the screened compartments or the removable pans, as brooders have heretofore beenmade similar to the'construction shown. 7. j 7

As heretofore stated, units'may be connected as shown in Fig. 2, and "when so arranged the duct extends from one unit to the other as l shown by the'enlarged' section in Fig. 4, the

- said duct having a cover 24 and a 'ceiling 25.

extending downward to the center so that the heat from the coils will readilyfiow each way as shown by the arrowszin said figure, by

which means the accumulation of the heated air will dispense freely to the adjacent shafts.

While I have not shown the thermostat arrangementin all of the compartments, it will be understood that there will be one to each thereof, as detailed in Fig. 3. w

Such modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of theappended claims. 7

What I claim as new and desire to secure shown and described, comprising a plurality of compartments and units, a fabric partition downwardly extending'from the'ceil? ing of each compartment, the lower-edge of which is spaced from the floor of its respective compartment, a ceilingspaced from the floor of the compartment abovefsaid ceiling extending from thepartitionto one end of the con1partment,a'door hingedly connected to the ceiling so that the said door will close the "end of the compartment and the-outer end of the space between the ceiling and the floor of the above compartment, spring connected to the upper edge of l the door, and a thermostat connecting the upper edge of the door with an armadjacent the fabric partition, the spring'to open the door when the thermostat recedes or contracts, a circulating air shaft in which. the

doors will swing, a heating coil and water container at the lower end of the shaft, as circulating means through the compartments,

substantially as shown.

3. In a ventilation controlling means for chicken brooders, brooders of the kind described, said hrooders spaced apart, a duct extending from one brooder 'to the adjacent brooder connecting the same, a cover for the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

REX W. MANEVAL. 7

so j

ios

In a ventilation controlling means for chicken brooders, in combination with brooders of the kind described'comprising a plurality of compartments, hingedly connected doors on the upper sides of each of the compartments and sides transversely positioned to the doors, wherebya circulatingshaftis formed, a heating element and a moisture element at the base of the shaft, a duct in whichsaid elements are positioned and means I for introducing air to the duct, a fabric partition across each of the compartments spaced ashort distance from the doors, and a thermostat supported by an arm and the upper side of the doors as opening and closing means therefor to control the temperature within the compartments.

2. In a ventilation controlling means for 

